The United States' top diplomat on East Asia has suggested China's wide-ranging territorial claims in the South China Sea do not comply with international law and should be clarified or adjusted.China claims nearly the entire 3.5-million square kilometer South China Sea, by virtue of what it sees as its historical rights within the so-called nine-dash line. Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also claims parts of the region.In congressional testimony Wednesday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Danny Russel said any use of the nine-dash line to claim maritime rights must be based on land features, such as a nation's coastline or its islands.

Russel also raised fresh U.S. concerns over China's activities in the East China Sea, where Beijing recently set up an Air Defense Identification Zone in an area also claimed by Japan.He called the move a "step in the wrong direction," and warned China against setting up a so-called ADIZs elsewhere.

What the heck! Who scares
you fancy psychos?

"We neither recognize nor accept China's declared ADIZ. The United States has no intention of changing how we conduct our operations in the region. And we've made clear to China that it shouldn't attempt to implement that ADIZ and should refrain from taking similar actions elsewhere in the region," said Russel.